


A Critical Choice

by Socprincess



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:01:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25156657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Socprincess/pseuds/Socprincess
Summary: Kurapika feels guilty for something he did to Leorio...but what? And can he be forgiven?This was originally a Leopika one-shot that now spans a total of 8 chapters.The story takes place after the Dark Continent Arc in the manga, assuming both characters make it out alive.
Relationships: Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight
Comments: 4
Kudos: 42





	1. Reuniting

Though he knew he would need to be alert tomorrow while guarding the auction, sleep eluded Kurpaika. After killing off the remaining spiders onboard the whale ship, he left the Dark Continent as soon as he could to return to work for the Nostrade family. Kurpaika had thought about staying on the Dark Continent to explore its hidden landscape, but the fear of being alone with only his thoughts to accompany him deeply disturbed him. Thus, he offered to serve as a crew member as the ship returned to the mainland to pick up supplies. Though he tried his best, Cheadle was able to sniff him out and exchange a few words with him. The conversation still stuck in his mind.

“I can’t in good faith condone the choice you made,” she said, “But it’s impossible to never make a mistake in front of a friend. Friends are around us too often to not see us make a bad decision every once in a while. I think after some time has passed…Leorio will want to make amends with you.”

Kurpaika’s lips tightened into a frown. “That is, if he makes it back alive.”

“He will,” Cheadle assured him. “He has a sharp survival instinct and a talent for medicine that far surpasses my own,” she admits. “If his companions are smart, they will keep him out of harm’s way.”

Kurpaika looked at the clock. He didn’t have to be awake for another two hours, but he figured he’d get an early start. He went to the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face. He returned to his room to put on his freshly ironed garments. Leaning back into the pillows, he laid on the bed while reaching for his book on the nightstand. He used to be more drawn to non-fiction titles that could inform him about the world, but lately, his only desire was to escape into elaborate fictional worlds. He read volumes of novels and science fiction titles, growing an affinity for the ones with happy endings. Those stories that ended on a positive note seemed so different from his own life, where resolution and contentment seemed even more impossible than the fanciful worlds the books construed. 

Just before he was about to reach the final chapter of his latest volume, he noticed that the clock would not permit him to continue. Sighing, he closed the book and returned it to its place on the nightstand. He snatched his phone, slipped on his shoes, and headed down to the lobby. As soon as he got off the elevator, he was greeted with a commotion. The cause of the chaos was none other than the last person he ever wanted to see on the face of the earth.

“I need to see him as soon as possible!” Leorio insisted.

“I understand, but he’s very busy working for the Nostrade family,” replied a Nostrade security personnel. 

“I swear if you would just let-” Leorio trailed off as he finally saw him.

Kurapika abruptly turned around back to the elevator and pressed the button forcefully. 

“Hell no!” Leorio exclaimed. “I did not come all this way just for you to ignore me!”

Kurapika darted inside the elevator doors as soon as he could squeeze through. He pressed the close doors button repeatedly. Leorio dashed over and pried the doors open, which caused the elevator to short circuit. As a loud crack erupted from the broken doors, sparks began to fly out of the control panel. A staff member frantically emerged onto the scene and escorted Kurapika out of the elevator. Before the staff could question Leorio, he held up his Hunter license and promised to pay for the damages. The staff bowed and walked away to contact maintenance. Kurapika just stared at Leorio in shock. Leorio gave him a small smile and said,  
“C’mon. Why don’t we take a walk around the city? Just to get out of the staff’s hair for a bit.”

Though Kurapika was embarrassed by the scene that took place, the last place he wanted to be was with Leorio. However, seeing how determined Leorio was to talk to him, he figured he owed the man that much after what happened on the ship. Looking over at his coworker, he inquired, “Will you be okay if I’m gone for an hour?” He responded with a nod. With his head bowed, Kurapika slowly began to walk towards the door, knowing Leorio would follow.  
The two walked several blocks before coming upon Park Central, an oasis in the heart of the bustling city. They continued their sojourn along a path until they came to a bench.

“Why don’t we rest here for a bit?” Leorio suggested. Kurapika came to a halt, as the tall man sat down. He let out a small sigh. “Man, you were really hard to track down…” he started.

“Why did you come?” Kurapika cut him off.

“I wanted to see you. I thought you were coming to the Dark Continent with us?” Leorio questioned.

“I changed my mind. Not that it’s any of your business.” The Kurta replied, standing near the bench with his body angled towards the lanky man.

Leorio sighed again and closed his eyes. 

“I was really worried about you,” he confessed. “I heard you killed the last of the spiders. I thought that because they were dead, that you would want to do something different. That you would want explore the dark continent with other hunters,” he paused. “But instead, I heard that you turned around and went straight back to the mainland, and you’re still working for the Nostrade family,” he continued as a look of disappointment emerged on his face. “Why are you here, Kurapika? You’re a hunter! You could be going on new adventures, but you’re here doing the same damn things.”

“If you think I’m a hunter, then you don’t know me very well,” Kurapika replied dryly. “I got my Hunter license to kill the spiders, that’s it. Now that they’re dead,” he paused, “I didn’t really have anything particular I wanted to do. There wasn’t anything for me on the Dark Continent, so I decided to come back here.” Not that there’s anything here for Kurapika in YorkNew either, he just needed to do something to fill the time.

Leorio glanced at the ground, contemplating where he should direct the conversation. He knew it was difficult to get the blond boy to open up, so he decided to take a roundabout approach. 

“What have you been reading lately?” he asked in a friendly manner.

Kurapika turned his head towards him slightly and replied, “I’ve been reading novels. I was just about to finish another one before I went down to the lobby.”  
Leorio raised his eyebrows. “Fiction? You didn’t read much fiction before,” he observed.

The Kurta remained quiet; his only response was his eyes breaking Leorio’s gaze to return to the path. Leorio frowned slightly as his friend disengaged from their conversation. Pushing his glasses higher up his nose, he decided to implore a more direct approach.

“Kurapika, what happened back there…I forgive you.”

“Don’t!” Kurapika growled as his eyes began to gleam crimson. 

Leorio expected this reaction, and he remained calm. “I know you feel guilty for leaving me with Nobunaga while you pursued Chrollo.” 

Kurpaika whipped his head around and glared at the tall man with scarlet irises. 

“Don’t expect an apology!” he yelled. “I did what I had to do.” His statement, full of resolve, was undermined by the tears that began to stream down his face. Leorio stood up and tried to put a hand on his shoulder, but Kurapika shoved it away.

“Fool!” he exclaimed. “I can’t apologize to you, because I know you’ll forgive me! But that doesn’t mean I’ll ever forgive myself. I can’t!”

Leorio, finally understanding the situation, held Kurapika as tears escaped his glowing, red eyes. After some time had passed, the blond regained his calm and sat down on the bench. 

“I apologize. I lost my composure,” he stated, his eyes reverting back to their regular light grey.

“Oh, er, don’t worry,” reassured Leorio. “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.” He sat down next to Kurapika. After a moment, Leorio spoke.

“I didn’t come to talk about the past. I wanted to ask you about your future, what you want to do next.” He looked at his shoes. “I knew it was possible that you didn’t have a plan, a goal you could work towards. That’s why I’m here. I found a job that you might be interested in,” he glanced at the Kurta with a small smile. 

Kurapika, still shy about meeting his gaze, simply responded by asking, “What’s the job?’

Leorio’s smile remained on his face, though a small bead of sweat did emerge on his forehead. “I’m glad you asked.” He cleared his throat before he continued. “I know where I want to set up my clinic.” Kurapika turned his head and looked at Leorio intently. “It’s on the western side of this continent, a city called AngelesLos. I’m renting a small building there where I can set up my clinic. But, as I’m sure you’ve heard, the underworld has strong ties there. The residents there are good people, but due to the mafia presence, they’re at risk of being injured, or worse,” his voice trailed off. 

Kurapika interjected with, “How could I help there? I’m not a doctor.”

“I need….a bodyguard,” Leorio raised his head to meet Kurapika’s gaze. “And there’s only one person I can trust to do the job.” 

Leorio saw Kurapika hang his head in shame before replying, “Leorio, I already failed to protect you when your life was on the line. I chose revenge over our friendship. And I will never stop being sorry for it,” Kurapika confessed. “Even if I spend the rest of my life protecting you, I could never make up for what I’ve done.”

“I would never hold anything over you like that, Kurapika,” Leorio said warmly. “What’s done is done. But right now, I am planning my future in AngelesLos. I thought that you might like a change of pace. Maybe you’ll find something new there,” he suggested as his smile grew bigger as sincerity shined from his eyes. Kurapika knew Leorio was above holding grudges, but the chance to start over in a new city sounded too good to be true. Since finishing off the spiders, Kurapika has felt numb- to himself, to others, to the world. But when he was with Leorio, the blond was able to feel a small flicker of hope. It was not much, but at least it was something. 

“Well, usually I would say that I’m not leaving this bench until you accept my offer, but I know I can’t force you to do anything,” Leorio stated. “But, will you at least consider it?” he inquired, raising his eyebrows while looking at the Kurta. Kurapika let out a small snort.

“Usually you would stay on this bench, huh? But I could get up and leave at anytime and you would still be sitting here, hm?”

“That’s right!” Leorio insisted.

“What if it got too hot? Or too cold? Or what if you got hungry? Or what if you saw a cute girl walk by-” Kurapika teased.

“Hey, hey, it’s just a figure of speech.” Leorio teased back. “But I mean it. I do want you to come with me as my bodyguard to AngelesLos,” he told him with his honest eyes.

Kurapika sighed. He still did not know if he would ever be able to let the past go, unlike Leorio. He knew that he was not supposed to go with the doctor as penance, but he could not help wanting to make it up to him. Yet, there was something else…a pure, instinctual desire to protect his friend as he moved to a new city and tried to help others. Kurapika recognized that he could not get the same satisfaction from working for the Nostrades. With a sigh of resignation, Kurapika looked at Leorio and gave him a small smile as he accepted the job.


	2. Travelling

The pair walk back to the hotel, where Leorio smoothed over the staff by transferring the finances necessary to fix the elevator as Kurapika searches for flights on a computer in the lobby. Leorio strolled over to him, and they hammered out the details. They select a flight, but they decide to book the tickets on their personal laptops in their hotel rooms. They retire to their respective spaces. As soon as Leorio got off the elevator, he broke into a wide smile. He couldn’t believe it. He found Kurapika, who is professional at going a wall, and he convinced him to come to AngelesLos. Not a single reservation crossed Leorio’s mind; he knew in his bones that Kurapika was the best person for the job. Though they bicker, Leorio also considered Kurapika his closest friend. Leorio’s smile persisted as he thought about all the adventures the duo could have in AngelesLos. 

The Kurta, on the other hand, was unsure of what he just agreed to. Was it too late to back out? Probably. Leorio would just hunt him down again. Kurapika let out a sigh, as he curled up on the bed, eager to finish the final chapter before choosing his next book. Before he could begin, he decides that he should call Nostrade to inform him of his resignation. Nostrade is respectful and thanks Kurapika for the good job he’s done for him. Having completed his final to-do of the night, Kurapika settles in for the rest of the night to read.

The chapter was engaging enough to keep Kurapika distracted, but he found his mind wandering as he tried, but failed, to absorb himself in his new novel. Frustrated, he gives up and turns on the tv. He started watching some news, before flipping to a ghost hunting show, and then he settled on watching a nature documentary. The documentary was engaging enough, but during the painfully long commercial breaks, thoughts of staging a jailbreak crept into his head. He flipped off the tv and decided that a cool shower might clear his head. Unfortunately, the thought of becoming a renegade sounded even more appealing to Kurapika as he kept recounting the events that took place on the ship. Shivering, but not from the cold, he got out of the shower, put on some pajamas, and crawled into bed. Taking deep breaths, Kurapika kept trying to steady his mind until sleep overcame him.

The next morning, Kurapika awoke before his alarm due to the butterflies in his stomach. He laid there, only moving to switch his alarm off when it rose with a pleasant melody. Kurapika didn’t have much to pack, so he continued to lie under the warm covers with his body frozen in place. Eventually, he got up, gathered his belongings, and made his way down to the lobby. He was surprised to find that Leorio was there first, breaking with the tall man’s habit of being perpetually late. Leorio gently smiled and greeted him as Kurapika strolled over.

“Ready to go?” Leorio piped up.

Kurapika replied with an affirming nod. 

They herald one of several taxis that was waiting near the hotel, and off they went to the airport. Occasionally, Leorio would out an exasperated breath as he coped with the car crawling along in the YorkNew traffic. They thanked the driver kindly as he pulled up to the designated terminal. Leorio began to converse with Kurapika by requesting that he makes a coffee run after going through security. Kurapika agrees as they enter the TSA line and place their luggage into the bins. Kurapika makes it through the airport scanner with no hassle, but somehow Leorio sets off the system. The kind lady informed him that she would need to pat down his legs. Leorio said that was fine, as he blushed and looked away from Kurapika, hoping he wasn’t amused by Leorio’s bad luck. 

The duo enters the terminal, where Leorio grabs a cup of coffee as Kurapika browses the miniscule section of new book releases. As a title catches his eye, Leorio meets up with him and finds a women’s health magazine that had an interesting cover story. Kurapika didn’t buy his excuse for a second that just because he was going to a doctor, he wants to read a women’s health magazine. He knew Leorio wants it because the cover girl was wearing a cute, yellow swimsuit.

Without any delays, Kurapika and Leorio boarded their plane for AngelesLos. Given Leorio’s height, they had selected seats with extra legroom. They each indulge in their separate readings, until Leorio put his magazine in the tray in front of him and stretches as best he can in the confined space to settle in for a nap. He rested his head against the seat, until it falls sideways onto the Kurta’s shoulder. Tiredness has not encroached upon Kurapika, so he continues to read his fiction title he purchased. The blond realized that this book was one of the silliest, light-hearted stories he had ever read. Normally, this would have been an error on his part, but he justified it by deciding that light reading was best for travelling. Besides, he can’t pull himself away from the book.

Approximately four hours later, the plane descends as Leorio begins to stir. Kurapika gives him a nudge and points out the window. The taller man raised his head up to look at the city buildings glistening in the sunlight below. They exited the plane and followed the crowd to baggage claim. After Leorio retrieved his large suitcase, they headed for a rideshare pick up area. They find a green, four-door vehicle and Leorio hops into the front. Kurapika notices that the driver looked surprised that someone would opt to ride in the front seat when most passengers sulk in the back, but Kurapika knew that Leorio was too friendly for his own good. 

As Leorio hit it off with the driver by asking him about all the best tourist stops in the city, Kurapika silently gazed out the window at his new surroundings. The tall, sparkly buildings worked to cover up the underbelly of the city from above. Poverty was evident in AngelesLos. Many of the small apartments they passed appeared run down, and occasionally Kurapika would notice someone walking down the street that looked like they didn’t have a home to return to. He quickly understood why Leorio would choose to set up a free medical clinic in this city. His attention turns forwards as the driver stops in front of a modest apartment complex. 

As the tall customer reaches for his wallet, Kurapika exits the car and begins to pull out their luggage from the trunk. He glances at the residents strolling down the street. He notices one young man in particular that wore a red hoodie and had a gold earring. They briefly made eye contact before the Kurta dropped his gaze back to the luggage. Leorio comes around to grab his things as the green car pulls away. This is it, Kurapika thought as butterflies once again swarmed his stomach. His new place of residence for the foreseeable future.

The pair walk up the stairs to their apartment. The taller man fishes two keys out of his pocket, and hands one to Kurapika. Leorio smiles and says, “I would have liked someplace bigger or fancier, but this one was closer to the clinic.” He swung open the door to reveal a common room with a couch, a comfy chair, and a television, with a small kitchen visible nearby. Leorio walked around the corner to peek into both bedrooms to see which one was bigger, since he has more stuff anyways.

Kurapika observes the kitchen appliances, noting a fridge, stove, sink, toaster, and a coffee maker. He opens a cabinet and is momentarily startled by a large roach that scurries up the back wall of the cabinet. If Leorio saw this, he thought, he might regret leasing this place. After shooing away the roach, the blond goes to rinse off his hands. When he pulls the sink handle, the water shoots out forcefully in several directions. Genuinely startled this time, Kurapika slams his hand onto sink handle and looks down to find his clothes wet. Leorio pokes his head out of his room to see what the commotion is about. He chuckles.   
“Bathrooms to the right if you want to take a shower,” he teases. Kurapika replies to his snide comment with a frown.

“By the way, we’re eating out tonight. My treat!” Leorio proclaims. “Don’t worry about the kitchen right now. Go check out your room,” he suggested.

The blond rolls his carry on from the entryway into the unoccupied bedroom. It already has a bed, a nightstand, and a closet. Other than that, it was sparse, which was suited to Kurapika’s taste. He began to unpack his clothes and he placed his nearly-finished fiction on the small, wooden nightstand. Having completed this task rather quickly, he began to walk around the apartment to take stock of the things he would need to buy at a store, such as hand soap, towels, bug spray, and a few other miscellaneous items. Leorio finally finished hanging all of his slightly wrinkled suits in his closet, and rejoins his friend. 

“What do you think?” he inquires.

“It’s nice,” the blond replies politely. “I look forward to seeing your clinic tomorrow.”

Leorio broke into a grin. “I’d really appreciate your help moving in all the supplies.” He pauses. “So, what should we eat for dinner?”

“We should go to a store first. There’s a few items I want to pick up that we’ll need,” Kurapika informs.

“It’s all business with you, huh?” the taller man jokes. “Okay, as long as we don’t take too long. I’m starting to get hungry,” Leorio negotiates.  
Kurapika affirms his request as they head back out of the apartment to a local drugstore across the street. They bicker a little over which products to buy, despite the fact that the items are more or less the same. Relieved that they reach a consensus on their last necessary purchase, Kurapika heads to the checkout, as the taller man sulks in the magazine isle. 

“Leorio! Cut it out! It’s time to go,” Kurapika chides.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming,” broods Leorio with his shoulders slumped over and his hands in his pockets. 

Leorio is now clearly hungry. Kurapika can tell by the way he moped out of the store and by his argumentative nature as he fought with the Kurta over where to eat. They eventually settle on a Thai place two blocks from their given location. Kurapika hoped they could make it there before Leorio snaps at him anymore. Upon entering the restaurant, they were promptly seated in a booth. Leorio orders a beer while Kurapika abstained. Dinner is delicious and filling, but Leorio insists on getting dessert. It sounds like a great idea to the tall, tipsy man considering alcohol lowers his inhibitions. Kurapika just sighs and agrees, but only because Leorio is paying. 

“Here you are!” The waiter announces as he places a plate with two fried bananas encompassing a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Leorio points to the ice cream and laughs at it. Kurapika is confused until he notices that the ice cream has two small raisins as eyes, a peanut nose, and a curved carrot sliver for a mouth. 

“Honestly, Leorio,” Kurpaika says as he breaks into a slight smile, “You’re too easily amused.”

Kurapika knows that Leorio didn’t drink too much, but he still keeps a watchful eye on him, especially as they cross the streets that lead back to the apartment. The blond opens the door and allows the taller man to stumble in first. Kurapika turns around and closes the door. When he turns back, he realizes that Leorio is staring at him.

“Wha-what do you want?” Kurapika asks.

“Pika,” Leorio starts. Kurapika scoffs when he hears that nickname he doesn’t like, but Leorio’s inhibitions are down, so the Kurta decides to let it go, just for tonight.

“I’m so happy you came here with me! Didn’t I tell you how happy I am?” Leorio sings.

“Uh, I think you briefly mentioned it,” Kurapika says.

“But I mean it!” Leorio exclaims, leaning down so he can look into Kurapika’s eyes. “I’m really happy you came with me. You know why?”

Kurapika looks at him thoughtfully. “Um, because we’re friends?”

“Exactly!” Leorio cries as he pulls him in for a hug. Kurapika sighs and rolls his eyes, but he doesn’t pull away.

“I’m so happy you’re here now, so I can help you if anything goes wrong,” Leorio continues his ramblings. “I was so sad that I couldn’t help you on the Black Whale. But now, since you’re here with me, I can protect you, like how you’ll protect me,” he confessed.

Kurapika was stunned by Leorio’s forthrightness, but he reciprocated the hug before taking a step back. “Okay, Leorio. But right now, let’s just get you to bed.”

“Pika, I…” Leorio trails off, arm around Kurapika’s shoulder.

“C’mon Leorio,” the Kurta coaxes while his arm is wrapped around Leorio’s waist supportively as he leads him towards his bedroom.


	3. Constructing

Kurapika fades in and out of sleep, forcing himself to at least try to get some shut eye while he can. When the clock reaches 6 am, he realizes he may as well get up and start the day. Leorio was more of a night owl, but Kurapika personally preferred the calm, quiet mornings before everyone else wakes up and commits to their daily grind. The young man quietly opens the cupboards to make a selection from their measly pantry. He reaches for the loaf of bread, deciding to make toast. He also brews a pot of coffee as a knowing accomplice to Leorio’s caffeine addiction.

It was during the stillness of the morning that Kurapika could allow his mind to fixate on the memory of his people without the pain becoming too burdensome. He remembered how his father would cook the most delicious meals for their family. He remembered being a young boy and begging his dad to let him help. His father would laugh, but he promised that he would teach Kurapika everything he knew once the boy was older. His dad had just begun to divulge his secrets, teaching his son how to make a few dishes, such as honey garlic salmon or beef-stuffed peppers. Kurapika smiles fondly as he recalls those few opportunities where he got to learn about his clan’s traditional dishes. At least, while he still had a chance to learn. The smile fades as he lets out a sigh. He admits to himself that those meals only live on in his memory now, and that he is at a loss for how to recreate them.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kurapika notices Leorio stumbling out of bed and meandering over towards the kitchen. The blond tells his friend that coffee is ready, and Leorio grunts in reply. They go about their respected routines in silence. Kurapika finishes his toast quickly and returns to his room to change. He slips on his clothes and puts on his earring all within a minute. Leorio takes substantially longer to get ready, as he wanders back into his bedroom with a second cup of coffee in hand. Kurapika picks up his book as he waits on the couch for Leorio. After 15 long minutes, Leorio emerges from his room, fully dressed and with his trademark grin.

“Let’s go pick up the packages. I had them shipped to the owner of the complex. I’ll need your help to carry them over to the clinic,” he tells his friend.

Kurapika smiles as he stands up and follows Leorio out the door. They walk to the main building where the owner is present. She invited Leorio behind her desk so he could pick up his orders. Leorio handed several boxes to Kurapika before scooping up the rest into his lengthy arms. Kurapika followed the older man for two blocks as they felt the sunshine warming their faces.

As they were passing a gas station, the guy with the earring from prior day was walking behind them. He followed for about a block or so before turning around the corner at the cat café. Kurapika couldn’t help but be suspicious. If he just passed him on the street then the blond would conclude that he lives in the neighborhood, but Kurapika knows when he is being followed. He glanced at Leorio, who was humming a merry tune as he carried the boxes. Honestly, sometimes the doctor was so smart, and other times, so utterly oblivious. Leorio comes to a stop and turns around.

“Here it is!” the dark-haired man beams at the Kurta.

“It looks nice,” Kurapika stated kindly. “I’m…glad that I’m here to help you set up your clinic. I know how much this means to you.”

Leorio’s smile remained as he closed his eyes contently. He knew Kurapika was being a bit generous about its appearance, given the one story, square-shaped building adjacent to a strip mall could use some minor repairs and a fresh coat of paint. Yet, he was also appreciative that he got to share this experience with his friend. He was hopeful that fixing up the clinic would help them make up for lost time. Even before the incident on the ship, travelling between floors was restricted and their schedules were completely booked. Leorio was optimistic that spending this time with Kurapika would help the younger man put the past in the past. 

Leorio used his foot to prop open the door, allowing his friend to enter after him. The room contained a dividing wall with a door frame about a third of the way into the layout. There was also a restroom tucked into a corner and some counter space along the adjoining wall. With a few additional beams propping up the ceiling, that was it. That was the whole space. Though it looked barren, this would give Leorio the opportunity for him to modify his clinic to his preferred tastes. The tall man wastes no time in blurting out his vision to Kurapika.

“And over here is going to be where I put the exam tables, they should be coming in tomorrow. Oh, here is where the waiting room, well I guess it’s not much of a room, um, waiting area will be. And back there is going to be a small break room…” Leorio continues.

Honestly, this guy needs to take a breath, Kurapika thought to himself. Once Leorio finishes explaining his overall vision for the place, they use Leorio’s switchblade to open the packages. They place the smaller items into the drawers below the countertop. Kurapika ambitiously took it upon himself to assemble a small table for the waiting area. He quickly realized something was amiss. 

“Leorio?” he called.

“Hm?”

“We don’t have a drill,” the blond informed.

“Oh…I guess I forgot about that,” Leorio replied sheepishly as he brought up a finger to scratch his cheek timidly.

“You forgot an important detail like this? If I’m going to build something, I need the proper tools for it,” Kurapika complained.

“Yeah. Oi! I think we passed a hardware store on the way here. Why don’t you take this and buy what you need?” Leorio hands him a few 20-dollar bills. Kurapika accepts his generosity and heads outside.

Sure enough, there was a hardware store two doors down. Kurapika wanders in and browses for the tool he needs. He finds a hand-held, battery-operated drill that looks promising, so he plucks it off the shelf. As he attempts to read the qualifications listed on the box, he can’t help but think about how naturally he and Leorio fell back into their rhythm. Leorio seems to enjoy having Kurapika around to talk to. Hell, they even fought like an old married couple several times since their reunion. For a moment, Kurapika feels like nothing has really changed when a sharp pang of guilt pierces his stomach. He closes his eyes, trying to block out the moment where he left Leorio behind to pursue his clan’s murderers. Kurapika lets out a breath. He justifies his actions to himself once again as he recollects himself and heads to the check out. 

Behind the counter was a young woman. Her wavy, black hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Her brown irises shone from her prominent eyes. She was wearing a black tank top and flared blue jeans. Kurapika strolled up to the counter where the woman was casually flipping through a guitar magazine.

“Excuse me,” Kurapika began.

“Oh, hi!” She piped up. “Did you find everything okay?”

“Yes, thank you,” he replied politely.

“What are you building with this bad boy?” she inquired, holding the box in her hand.

A small laugh escaped the young man. “It’s just a small table. I’m helping my friend set up his place down the street.”

“No way! Welcome to the neighborhood! My name’s Jessa. I own this place with my husband, Erik,” she stuck out her hand. “What kind of business is your friend in?”

“He’s setting up a healthcare clinic actually,” he politely informed. “He wants to provide healthcare for the people in this city free of charge.”

“Really?!” Jessa’s eyes widened. “How can he afford to do something like that?”

“I don’t know all the details,” he said, ignoring the fact that a Hunter’s license allows the owner to pay for everything under the sun and then some. “But he really just wants to help people,” he concluded his thought, trying not to let his mind wander back to Leorio’s drunken confession the previous evening. 

“Erik and I would love to meet him. Can we stop by sometime?” she pleaded.

Breaking into a smile, Kurapika affirmed, “Leorio would love to meet both of you. Come by anytime.”

“Really? That would be lovely,” she said as she bagged his item. “Here you go. Thanks so much!”

Kurapika gave her a kind nod before heading out the door.

The rest of the day is tedious as Kurapika and Leorio work tirelessly cleaning the clinic. Kurapika finishes constructing the table, before sweeping and mopping the floors. Leorio dusts, cleans the counters, and sanitizes the bathroom. After completing their respected tasks, they put Leorio’s medical supplies into the drawers located below the countertop. By the time they were finished, the clouds were blushing as the sun disappeared. 

They meander back to the apartment, with Kurapika keeping an eye out for anyone trailing them. The coast was clear, so they make it back with no issues. Leorio barely squeezes through the door as he lets out a yawn. He went off to brush his teeth, while Kurapika made a beeline for the armchair to continue his novel. After Leorio finished getting ready for bed, he asks Kurapika if he was going to get some shut eye. Kurapika said he would try to go to sleep in a bit, when he’s done with the chapter. Leorio tells him not to stay up too late because he didn’t want to have to do all the heavy lifting tomorrow when the beds arrive. Kurapika replies with a small hum. When he finally feels his eyes begin to droop, the Kurta rises and makes his way towards his bed.

Kurapika is able to get a few hours of shut eye before sleep abandons him again. He lets out a long sigh as he laid there, not wanting to get up and disturb his roommate. To his surprise, he saw the glow of the living room light emerge from his partially opened door. He exits the bed and heads towards the glow. A twinge of sadness shot through him as he sees Leorio sitting on the couch, hands folded, looking down. Kurapika makes a sharp right into their kitchen area and begins to fill two mugs with water. He places them in the microwave for a minute while he fetches some tea bags, which they purchased during their supply run. Leorio looks over at Kurapika and gives him a small smile, not only to acknowledge his friend’s presence, but to try to convince Kurapika that he is alright. Kurapika brought the two mugs over and hands the blue one to Leorio.

“Thank you,” said the dark-haired man, gently taking the mug from the other’s hands.

“Are you okay?” Kurapika practically whispered.

“Yeah, I’m fine. It was just a bad dream,” Leorio dismissed.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Kurapika offered as he sat down in the chair.

“Well, not really,” he said sheepishly as he brought his hand up to scratch the back of his head.

After a pause, Kurapika forced out another quiet query.

“Was it about what happened on the ship?”

Leorio broke eye contact, staring into his mug, before he confessed.

“Yes, but it’s nothing to worry about. It was just a dream,” he tried to assure the blond.

It was Kurapika’s turn to break eye contact as he fixes his gaze onto his own feet. Leorio decided to break the silence.

“You know, I never really told you what happened. It might give you some peace of mind if you knew,” he keeps looking at the silent, stiff Kurapika.  
Leorio decides to press on. “I’ll admit, Nobunaga had me pretty good, but fortunately, he chose to mess with me on my turf,” a hint of mischief crept into his voice. “I was preparing for a surgery, so I had an IV of anesthesia ready to go on the tray next to me. I slipped it into his arm, and he was out cold in seconds!” he smiled triumphantly. “He’s not a strong as he seems.”

Kurapika raises his head to look at Leorio, who was still beaming proudly.

“Likewise, I know I’m not as strong as you, or Killua or Gon for that matter, but I can handle myself pretty well.”

“But….what if…” Kurapika trailed off.

“Hey, hey, there’s no need to worry about that now,” Leorio promised. “It’s in the past. We’re both okay. Let’s just focus on the here and now.”  
Leorio stands up and holds out a hand, offering to take Kurapika’s scarlet mug to the kitchen for him. The Kurta draws in a sharp breath as he stands up and takes his mug to the kitchen himself. He washes it rapidly, and was placing it on the counter to dry. A disgruntled Leorio comes over and hands him his mug, mumbling about how Kurapika took away his opportunity to show kindness to his friend. Leorio waits until the other was done washing his mug before he instructs Kurapika to go back to bed to try to get some more sleep. Kurapika headed towards his room as Leorio bid him goodnight.

“Good night Pika,” he said sweetly.

Kurapika straightened before his face relaxed into a small smile.


	4. Treating

Knowing he will thank him for it later, Kurapika plays task master the next morning, prompting Leorio to get up and dressed. They have to be at the clinic by 8 o’clock to sign for the shipment of patient exam tables. Kurapika is walking at a brisk pace, chiding the meandering Leorio as he takes his sweet time. The blond admires many good qualities about the other, but his habit of running late is not one of them. Fortunately, the duo arrives on time and begins to perform menial tasks around the clinic as they wait for the delivery truck. Leorio keeps glancing out the window, eager for his delivery to arrive, when a hurried figure streaks past. Normally, Leorio would let something like this go, but it seems like the blur was holding their wrist in a funny way. He pops out the door and runs down the street to catch up.

“Wait! Is your wrist okay?” he cries in his pursuit.

The figure halts and turns around to see who is pursuing her. She doesn’t recognize the tall man, so she waits for him to catch his breath. Hearing the commotion, Kurapika peeks out the door to see what trouble Leorio has gotten himself into this time.

“Oh, good morning Jessa,” the blond says warmly.

“Good morning! Is this your doctor friend?” she asks.

“I sure am!” Leorio boasts. “Is your wrist okay?” he voices his concern.

“It’s nothing!” Jessa dismisses, as she continues to hold her left wrist in her right hand. “Besides, I’m late for work, so-”

Leorio raises up a hand to cut her off. “Like hell you’re going to work. I’m not letting you go until I look at that wrist. I’ll patch it up in no time!” he brags again.

Jessa’s glance turns to Kurapika, who smiles and nods, indicating that she cannot talk Leorio into changing his mind.

“Alright, let’s see if you’re as good as they say!” she teases.

Leorio escorts her over as Kurapika holds the door open for both of them. Jessa sits in a chair as Leorio rummages through the cabinets to find the proper supplies. Kurapika stands near Jessa as he tells Leorio how they met. The doctor returns with a few items and takes a knee in front of Jessa.

“Kurapika, can you get Jessa a glass of water?” he requests. The Kurta obliges. 

“How did you hurt your wrist?” Leorio asks sympathetically.

“I was running down the stairs this morning because I was late, and I tripped on the last step. I’m a bit clumsy,” she smiles as her eyes close and a bead of sweat comes down the side of her face. 

Leorio suspects that she may not be telling him the whole truth. He also notices several small scrapes distributed around her face and arms. They did not seem like the kind of injuries one would get from falling down the stairs, but he did not press Jessa any further considering he had all the information he needs to treat her.

“You’re lucky it’s just a sprain,” he says as he tenderly places her hand into a splint. “A break would take weeks to heal. A sprain should heal in about two to three days. Just take it easy. And no more running down the stairs for now, okay?” he grins at her.

“You’ve got it, doc!” she affirms and returns his smile.

“Ah, thank you,” Leorio tells Kurapika as he hands him a small paper cup of water. Leorio hands it to Jessa as he opens the pain relief drug packets for her. Once she swallows the pills, she thanks Leorio for his service and heads out. Leorio stares at the door, beaming proudly.

“You just helped your first patient,” Kurapika sang to Leorio.

“Yeah…” he trails off in disbelief.

“You did a good job, doc,” Kurapika elbows the tall man.

“Thanks!” Leorio chuckles.

Not long after, the delivery truck pulls up with the shipment of patient exam tables. It took them about an hour to unload the tables from the truck, and another hour to drag them to their correct locations in the clinic. In desperate need of a break, Kurapika offers to take Leorio out to lunch. They went to a local deli for some sandwiches. Despite the strange combination of flavors, Leorio also sipped a cup of coffee while devouring his lunch. Once they were both finished and full, they strolled around the block to get back to their workplace.

Apparently, Jessa had done a good job getting the word out about the healthcare center, because a small group of people were waiting outside for it to reopen. They held open the door for their clients to shuffle through, and the pair leapt into action. Kurapika handed out some medical forms while Leorio prepped his medical supplies. One by one, Leorio treated each patient for various injuries. One person needed stitches to seal a deep cut, another had a concussion, and a third fractured his ankle while jogging. Leorio’s suspicion grew, as he realized that Jessa’s wounds resembled these patients scrapes and bruises. He doubted any of the stories the patients told him true. They were most likely fabrications to cover up their illicit activities. Leorio refrained from any moral judgement, since he was going to treat these people regardless. 

As the last person went out the door, Leorio and Kurapika realized it was time to close up for the day. The tall man restocked his medical supplies as his blond companion organized the paperwork. They finished quickly and headed back to the apartment. 

Once they arrived home, Kurapika noticed that their dishes from the morning were sitting in the sink. He headed for the sink as the dark-haired man shuffled into his room, worn out for the day. Kurapika punctually finished the dishes and was just about to curl up with a good book, when he noticed that the trashcan was full. He bagged it up, grateful that the coffee grounds masked the more odious smells. After calling out to Leorio that he would be back in a minute, Kurapika headed downstairs into the cool evening air. He walked around the corner of their complex to the dumpster. Just as he closed the lid and was about to leave, a figure appeared from the hedge. It was the young man in the red hoodie.

“Can I help you?” Kurapika was prompt.

“Depends. Are you with the rapiers?” he accused.

“The…. what?” the Kurta replied baffled.

“Don’t mock me! You know who the rapiers are!”

Kurapika now understood.

“Oh no, we’re not affiliated with any mafia. We’re a free medical clinic and we’ll treat anyone who-” the blond was cut off.

“That’s not the way my boss sees it,” the young man retorts. “If you keep helping those rapiers, he’s going to come after you and your skinny friend that’s playing doctor,” he bit back. 

“Look,” Kurapika interjected, “I don’t know who you’re with, but we’re here to help anyone, regardless of any mafia affiliation.”

The man with the coiffed dark hair scowled at the blond.

“I don’t know where you come from, but that’s not how it works around here. Everyone in this neighborhood is either with the fire rats or the rapiers. If you don’t choose a side for protection, you’ve got a death wish,” he rages.

“We can protect ourselves just fine, thank you,” Kurapika tells the younger man.

The guy in the red hoodie walks down the street in a huff. Kurapika waits till he is out of sight before returning to the apartment. 

“Leorio,” he calls upon entry.

“Yeah?” he heard Leorio reply from his bedroom.

Kurapika appears in his doorway, “I have gathered more intel on the city’s mafia.”

“Oh, really,” Leorio raises his eyebrows. “How?”

“More like…it was given to me. I ran into a member of the…fire rats,” he recalls the name.

“Did he do anything to you?” Leorio’s tone demanding an honest answer.

“No, no, we just exchanged a few words, that’s all.” Kurapika reassured.

“Oh,” Leorio sighed in relief. “What else did he say?”

“That we would need to align ourselves with one of the mafia groups if we’re going to be safe in AngelesLos,” the Kurta relayed, “And that we couldn’t treat those   
associated with the rival mafia.”

“Well that’s not happening. I’m a doctor!” Leorio chimed.

“He also had his doubts about that too,” Kurapika informed.

“What?” Leorio said as a vein popped from his forehead. “You did tell him I was a real doctor, right?”

“Of course, I did,” the other confirmed.

“I sure hope so,” Leorio replied.

Kurapika turns around to head out the door, but he stops himself.

“Leorio,” he turns his head back.

“Yes?” Leorio returns his gaze.

“I think it’s admirable, what you’re doing, you know, providing healthcare for anyone who needs it. It’s…. it’s what my kinsmen would do,” he blurted out.

Leorio blinked at him. Kurapika rarely talked about his past, except when discussing his vengeance. Leorio was stunned momentarily, before a warmth emerged in his heart. 

“Thank you for telling me, Kurapika. It means a lot,” he replied while giving him an affectionate look. Kurapika smiled back before retiring to his room for the night.

The following morning, Leorio is eager to return to the clinic. He looked at his friend walking besides him. Objectively speaking, Leorio couldn’t help but notice that Kurapika was nice to look at. His sunshine blond hair framed his jawline which gracefully met in a point at his chin, with soft pink lips hovering above it. Yet, what Leorio noticed the most was his eyes, those deep grey eyes, that always seemed to have a current of thought swirling through them, striving to communicate everything going on in his mind. Before Kurapika could catch him staring, or so he hoped, Leorio’s attention was diverted back to the clinic where a few people were already waiting to be seen. 

The team of two begin their tasks immediately. Kurapika greets each client as he gives them a paper form, while Leorio makes sure everything is ready in the exam rooms. They had a steady stream of patients, and Leorio helped each one of them. They ate lunch in the office that day due to the crowds. Around three o’clock, two older teens came into the office. Kurapika looked up from his desk and began to welcome the clients, but he abruptly stopped speaking. One of the teens was the gold earring wearer from the other night. He had swapped his red hoodie for a black V-neck shirt, though he still sported the same pair of dark blue jeans. His friend had black, curly hair which he wrangled into a bun and he wore a forest green tank top and black basketball shorts.

“Hi, uh, miss?” the boy with the bun questioned.

“Er, I’m a man actually,” Kurapika politely informed.

“Sorry, um, sir,” he corrected, “I’m here to see the doctor. Is he available?”

“He will be shortly. Please take a seat,” the blond gestured to some empty chairs.

The two of them sat down as Kurapika delivered the form on a clip board. The boy that just spoke to him made eye contact and smiled as he was handed his form. His companion was content with looking sideways out the window to avoid Kurapika’s gaze. A moment passed before Leorio emerged around the corner to escort a patient into the front area. He asked Kurapika who was next, and he motioned with his head towards the young man in the tank top.

“Are you ready to head back?” Leorio asks motioning to the sectioned-off exam area.

“I am,” the young man confirmed, following the doctor’s lead around the corner, and out of sight from his friend.

“My name’s Leorio,” he said as he stuck out his hand.

“I’m Avedis,” the other replied.

“Nice to meet you, Avedis. I’m going to start today by taking your temperature,” the doctor informs.

After seeing a normal reading, Leorio proceeds by asking his patient, “What brings you in today?” 

Avedis looked down at his hands in his lap as he sat on the exam table. “I…I was recently diagnosed with mitochondrial disease,” he nearly whispers.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Leorio’s voice is overflowing with sincerity.

“I was told by my doctor that I only had two, maybe three, years left,” Avedis said, his voice breaking. “It’s just…if that’s true…. I wanted a second opinion, and I heard you’re a free doctor, so…”

Leorio pauses, inwardly praying that he would not say something that would make the situation worse. 

“I am not sure how your doctor arrived at that conclusion, but I do know that the lifespan of people with mitochondrial disease can be longer than your doctor predicted. So, we don’t need to panic just yet,” Leorio bent down to give him a reassuring look. “Did he go over any treatment options with you?”

“Yes, but all they can do is slow down the disease. He says there’s no cure,” Avedis’ voice shakes as tears begin to fall into his palms. “Is that true?” his gaze shifts up to Leorio.

“Unfortunately, there is no cure that we know of,” Leorio repeats, “But, please, let me look into all the options available before you decide how to proceed. Like you said, it couldn’t hurt to get a second opinion,” Leorio requested as he put his left hand on Avedis’ shoulder to steady him. “You’re right,” Avedis looks up at him and sighs. “When will you know what I should do?”

“As of now, you are my number one priority. I will look into this tonight, so please come back tomorrow so we can go over what treatments are viable for you,” Leorio warmly invited.

“Really? Th-thank you,” Avedis stammered, wiping away a fresh tear as a small smile crept onto his face. 

“Would the same time work for you tomorrow?” the doctor inquired.

“Yes, that works for me,” Avedis affirms.

“I’m glad. Thank you for coming in today. I promise to help you in any way I can,” Leorio gives him a warm smile. Avedis reciprocates and jumps down from the exam table.

They head back into the common room where Avedis meets back up with his friend. They talk quietly as they head out the door together. Leorio gives the room and once over, and upon not seeing anyone, decides to check in with Kurapika.

“Hey Kurapika, I may need your help researching tonight,” Leorio begins.

“Leorio,” Kurapika keeps his eyes fixated on the duo that just walked out the door. “Your patient’s friend is the kid that confronted me the other day.”

“What? Avedis? He’s so nice!” Leorio looks at him in surprise. “There’s no way he’s with the…” he trailed off as the Kurta made eye contact. Leorio decided to stop talking and listen to what he could decipher from Kurapika’s grey eyes.


	5. Discussing

Once they returned to the apartment for the day, Leorio and Kurapika immediately both begin to research mitochondrial disease. Kurapika tries to find anything helpful on the internet, while Leorio pours over his ever-growing collection of medical nen books, several which were gifted to him by Cheadle. They pause for a quick dinner break, scrounging up whatever they can from their cabinets while swapping any information the other may find useful. They continue to research for hours when Kurapika realizes that he cannot find any more beneficial knowledge on the topic. Leorio says that at least one of them should get a good night’s sleep, so he insisted that Kurapika retires to his room. It takes some convincing, but Kurapika eventually concedes to Leorio’s recommendation and wishes him luck in finding a nen treatment.

Leorio remains planted at his desk for the next few hours, re-reading several passages in the emitter chapters about repairing the body. The current literature discusses using emitting to heal bones, sometimes organs, but he could not pin point any examples of using nen at a microscopic level. Not only would Leorio have to repair every cell in the body, but multiple mitochondria are located within the trillions of cells. 

Even if this treatment was possible, how long would it take? How could he determine its effectiveness? And how long would the treatment last? Considering this was uncharted territory, he tried to call his mentor, but she was unavailable. Frowning, Leorio decides to take a short water break before trying her again.

He staggers over to the kitchenette, refusing to turn on the light, least he disturbs his roommate. The running water from the sink helped to block out the sound of the apartment lock being picked. Leorio took a gulp of water as the door was pried open. As soon as Leorio turned around, he saw two intruders dressed in dark clothing with masks covering their mouths. 

The first man charges at Leorio as the latter sprints down the hall. Leorio cried out Kurapika’s name as he braced for a fight. The assailant lunged at him with a rusty switchblade. Leorio gripped his wrist and tugs it out of his hands. The knife drops to the floor, but the opposing party is not discouraged as he shoves Leorio against the wall forcefully. Leorio tried to move forwards to escape his grasp, but he was pinned back. 

The doctor decided that discreetly using nen would give him the advantage. He plunged his left hand into the wall and had it come out of the counter, grabbing the coffee pot. He flings the coffee pot at the man’s head. It hits. Glass shatters everywhere as the invader stumbles backwards. Leorio shoves him up against the fridge.

Meanwhile, Kurapika was awoken by Leorio’s call and flew out of bed. The second intruder’s outline emerged from the darkness. Due to Kurapika’s head still being groggy from his previously peaceful slumber, the invader was able to strike first. She landed a fist onto the blonde’s forehead, scathing it with her brass knuckles. 

Her second attempt would be futile, as Kurapika grabbed her wrist and landed a side kick on the woman’s ribcage. She crumbled from the pain, holding her ribs, gasping for breath. Kurapika returned to a neutral stance, awaiting her next move, when the woman caught a second wind and dashed down the hall towards the door. 

Leorio expected that the amateur fighters would want to retreat once they got a sense of Kurapika’s abilities, so Leorio let go of the man, who scurried after his compatriot out the door. Kurapika stormed down the hall, ready to continue the brawl, but Leorio put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head, indicating that he wanted to let them off easy. Kurapika still glared towards the open door, but he did not make any efforts to pursue the opposing duo. 

“Are you alright?” Leorio asked as he comes closer to Kurapika to get a better look at him.

“I’m fine,” Kurapika replied shortly, still trying to calm down from the recent confrontation.

Leorio quickly notices the oozing gash on Kurapika’s face. “I’m going to need to take a look at that,” he told his friend, pointing a finger at the wound.

“Oh, it’s not that bad, I’ll take care of it,” the younger man dismissed.

“Dammit, Kurapika, I’m a doctor! I’m going to take a look at it,” he said while he grabbed a towel to stop the bleeding.

Kurapika conceded to his friend as the towel was gently pressed above his left eyebrow. The doctor walked him over to his bed and had Kurapika sit down as he located a medical kit. Kurapika’s pout remained as he pressed the towel to his head and waited. Once Leorio dug out the kit from underneath a heap of clothes, he sat down next to Kurapika and opened it. 

“Let me see,” the dark-haired man spoke softly.

Kurapika removed the blood-soaked towel as Leorio assessed the cut that threatened to tarnish his friend’s face. Leorio noted that the wound was fairly deep, and the crimson liquid leaking from it continued to pour out. Since it was above Kurapika’s eye, Leorio determined the best treatment for his friend. 

“It looks like it will need a few stitches,” Leorio concluded, as he patted Kurapika’s knee reassuringly, before frowning at him. “Not that big a deal huh?” he mocked.

“Sh-shut up,” Kurapika murmured, embarrassed by his own stubbornness.

Leorio pulled over his desk chair and positioned himself in front of the other. He brought out the forceps, suture, and the curved needle. He initiated the process, much to Kurapika’s chagrin.

“Ow,” he whined.

“Sorry,” Leorio apologized.

“Ouch,” he said again.

“I’m being as careful as I can,” Leorio replied.

“Not careful enough. Just let me do it,” Kurapika complained.

“Not a chance. I’ve at least had practice. You would just hurt yourself even more,” Leorio determined.

Kurapika’s protests subsided as he finally allowed his friend to take care of his injury. In most instances, he would push the thoughts of his family to the back burner of his mind, but Leorio’s persistence reminded him of his own mother. When he was playing with some other kids on the cobblestone streets of the village, he fell and scrapped his knee. He was adamant about continuing to play, but his mom dragged him inside so she could clean up the wound. There was a special remedy that the Kurta people made out of their local flora that was applied to scrapes and cuts. It stung at first, but within a moment, it was cool and soothing on Kurapika’s grazed kneecap. Before he was discharged from his mother’s care, he had to promise her to be careful. Even after all he’s been through, Kurapika can still clearly remember the love he felt when his mother smiled at him.

“There, that wasn’t so bad,” Leorio fished for a compliment.

“Already?” Kurapika blurted out, not realizing how long he had been lost in his thoughts.

“I didn’t rush if that’s what you’re concerned about,” Leorio had his turn to complain while putting the stitching supplies away in his kit.

“No, no, that’s not what I meant. I just…. never mind,” Kurapika punctuated the last two words.

“Suit yourself,” the exasperated, young doctor exclaimed as he applied a gauze and bandage to Kurapika’s forehead. 

As much as Leorio wanted to know what the blonde was thinking, he didn’t want to push him too far. It was already hard enough to convince him to sit down and get his wound tended to, and a heart-to-heart could prove to be too much for the reserved blonde. As expected, as soon as he was done, Kurapika’s obstinacy reappeared.

“You can go to bed now, Leorio,” the Kurta told him. “I’ll stay up and keep watch.”

“Who? Me?” the doctor was shocked.

“Yes. Your patients need you well-rested for tomorrow,” Kurapika asserted. 

“Only if you’re sure. You lost quite a bit of blood,” he said timidly.

“I’m sure,” the blond promised. “You…did a good job taking care of me. Now it’s my turn,” his eyes darted sideways towards the wall and he prayed Leorio couldn’t see the touch of pink that crept up on his cheeks. 

Leorio closed his eyes and smiled. “Alright then. But when I get up, you’re going to take a nap. I can’t have you down for the count right now,” he countered. Leorio crawled into bed and snuggled into the covers, while Kurapika took over the desk chair, too afraid to take his eyes off the doctor. Leorio was soon sound asleep and snoring volubly. Kurapika just watched him for an hour or so, till he nodded off himself. 

A loud ringing awoke Leorio from his torpor. He looked over at his phone to see that Cheadle was returning his call. He answered it and sat up. Realizing that Kurapika had fallen asleep in the chair, he managed to hold a conversation with Cheadle as he transferred the sleeping blonde to his bed. He succeeded and left for the living room. The mentor and the mentee swapped theories back and forth on cell repair using nen. As Cheadle talked him through the specifics, they began to wonder the same thing. It may not only be possible to fix Avedis’ body at a cellular level, but it may actually cure the young man. Of course, follow up appointments would be recommended in case further treatment was required, but it would effectively cure him.

The pair exchanged partings and Leorio hung up the phone. He brought his arm to his side and remained motionless for some time. He was interrupted by Kurapika who was about to set foot in the kitchen, when Leorio warned him about the broken glass that was still scattered across the floor. Kurapika didn’t care about the mess, but he sure was pissed about not being able to get a cup of coffee when he really needed it.

The duo stopped at a chain coffee store on their way to the clinic. Leorio opted for a strong Americano, while Kurapika went with a medium latte. Leorio tried to walk slower to keep pace with the tired Kurapika, while he reminded him that he will also have to check on his stitches when they arrive. Kurapika grumbled some semblance of a reply as the two arrived at their workplace.

Kurapika was grateful for a slower day. There was not much paperwork or emails for him to complete, so he zoned out a few times while sitting behind his desk. He was just about to question the doctor about their lunch plans when a man strolled into the clinic. He had short, dark brown hair with flecks of grey pepping through. His face had stubble that encircled his narrow lips. His light brown eyes appeared to contain flecks of gold when the sun hit them just right. His strong build approached the young man at the desk.

“Excuse me, I’m here to speak with the doctor,” the man spoke evenly in a low voice.

“He’ll be out in a moment. In the meantime, could you fill out this form-” Kurapika was cut short as the solemn man held up his hand.

“This is a business matter. A medical form won’t be necessary,” he coolly stated.

“Alright, I’ll get him for you now,” Kurapika left his post to get his companion.

Briefly, Leorio emerged from around the corner with Kurapika.

“Can I help you?” Leorio was puzzled.

“Actually, I may be able to help you,” the man offered. “I heard from one of my neighbors that there was an…incident last night at your place. I see my assumption was correct,” his index finger pointed to Kurapika’s forehead. “I was wondering if you would be willing to provide medical treatment to my associates in exchange for our protection.”

“Thanks for the offer, but we’re not interested,” Leorio stated firmly, his eyes slightly narrowed. “We’re not looking to pick a side. We’d rather stay a neutral third party,” he continued fully aware of the message between the lines.

“A neutral third party, you say?” the man mocked menacingly. “Do you know who you were attacked by? Those weren’t just any ordinary thugs. They’re members of the rapiers,” he frowned. “But my men, we stand up to those rapiers, and protect our community. And you’re a part of our community now. We just want to look out for you, neighbor,” he lied through his teeth.

“I told you, we’re not interested. Now, if that’s all you came here to tell me, then you should leave,” Leorio was growing more agitated, and Kurapika stood at the ready.

“Very well. But if you wish to reconsider my offer-” the man stopped suddenly as Avedis entered the clinic.

“Da-dad?!” he shouted. “What are you doing here?”

“Hello son,” the father remained unfazed. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here. How are you?”

“You already know the answer to that question,” Avedis shot his eyes sideways at a downward angle. 

“Of course,” the dad’s words were tainted with sympathy. “Just don’t forget about our appointment we have with a real doctor soon,” he chided as all empathy vanished from his voice.

“Why you…” Leorio growled as he stomped towards the rude man. Kurapika intercepted his path by holding out his left arm.

“Thank you for your time, sir. Have a good day,” the blonde replied curtly.

“I’ll see you at home, son,” were his parting words as he confidently walked out the door.

“Geez,” the doctor lets out a breath as a means to calm himself down.

“I apologize for my dad’s behavior. He’s just…. concerned for me,” Avedis offered an explanation.

“There’s nothing to apologize for. You’re nothing like your old man,” Leorio’s comment slipped out. Avedis laughed, but the Kurta facepalmed his right forehead at his friend’s tactlessness. 

“Are you ready?” the doctor asked, and his patient responded with a nod. They left Kurapika in the front room as a lookout.

“Is your assistant okay?” Avedis asked in a hushed tone.

“Oh yeah, don’t worry about him. He’s in good hands with me,” Leorio was grateful for the show of concern, but he wanted to keep Avedis’ attention on his own health.

“So, I reached out last night to the doctor who mentored me to tell her about your condition,” the tall man began. “It seems like we have found an experimental treatment that would slow down the process of the disease.”

“Okay. What is it?” Avedis probed.

“Well, it’s a new, experimental treatment that involves…” Leorio had to figure out a half-truth to describe it while keeping nen a secret, “…. radiation. But it doesn’t kill the cells like a typical radiation procedure. Instead, it would help the cells repair themselves so your mitochondria could work properly again,” Leorio hoped that the young man would believe his explanation without an internet search.

“And how long would the treatment last for?” Avedis was skeptical.

“It hasn’t been done often,” more like never, Leorio kept the thought to himself, “But if all goes well, you won’t need it again for another five to six years,” he gave a fair estimate.

“That’s awesome! When can I get the radiation?” Avedis was eager.

“Hold on, we should talk about the procedure first before you decide to move forward with it,” the doctor warned. “It may just be one procedure, but it is pretty intense. It would be done in two stages. The first stage would target the lower half of your body, up to the stomach, and the second stage would cover your vital organs- your heart, lungs, and brain,” he spoke honestly. “If the first stage of the treatment is successful, then we can do the second stage the following week. I would need you to be under anesthesia for both steps, so that your body will be relaxed enough to be receptive to the radiation,” Leorio continued. “Now that you have all the information, what are your thoughts?”

“I’m ready,” Avedis replied confidently. “It’s a stronger treatment than, you know, vitamin supplements,” he rolled his eyes, “But at least this one actually stands a chance at stopping the disease, at least, for a while.”

“When would you like to proceed with this treatment?” Leorio queried.

“Can we do this Saturday morning? I don’t want to wait any longer than I have to,” Avedis said.

“You know, you’ll be missing school for two weeks if you start this month. Do you want to wait until after your semester is done?” Leorio suggested.

“No, it can’t wait,” Avedis shook his head. “Besides, my friend can bring me all the homework I need to complete. I’ll stay on top of my studies, I promise,” his optimism shining through in his voice. 

“Alright then. Saturday morning, bright and early. Can you be here by eleven?” 

Avedis nodded assuredly.

Leorio smiled back, hiding his nerves from the brave boy, hoping that everything would go according to plan on Saturday morning.


	6. Kidnapping

When Saturday morning comes, Leorio wastes no time in getting to the clinic. Before Avedis could arrive, Leorio was interrupted by an older woman, who was quite flirtatious with the tall doctor. Kurapika was just thinking how ironic it was that Leorio was finally getting a taste of his own medicine, when he heard his cell ring. The caller ID was Cheadle, so Kurapika figured she was trying to get a hold of Leorio. They exchanged a greeting before Kurapika offered to put Leorio on the phone.

“I need to talk to you, actually,” she said with concern in her voice.

“Me? What about?” Kurapika was intrigued. Maybe she had some Zodiac business she had to clarify with him.

“I’m hesitant to tell you, but I feel as if you have the right to know,” Cheadle sighed. “Please try to keep a level head,” she warned.

“Alright, I will,” Kurapika’s vocals exposed a hint of nervousness.

“A pair of scarlet eyes was stolen from your assemblage,” Cheadle mustered out.

“What? How?” Kurapika questioned desperately.

“We can’t confirm how, but I suspect Pariston might have had something to do with leaking their location,” Cheadle betrayed her own feelings of disdain for the man she referenced. “I will be pursuing the eyes with Kanzai and Mizaistom. We wanted to invite you to join us, since this involves your people,” she solemnly relayed.

“Yes, I’ll be there right away. Text me where to meet you,” Kurapika held his voice as steady as possible, feigning a calm presence. 

He hangs up the phone, and is about to call out for Leorio, when a figure rushed into the clinic, almost breaking down the door.

“It’s Avedis! He’s trapped!” the young man with the gold earring said.

Leorio heard the commotion and dashed towards the entry way.

“What do you mean he’s trapped?” Leorio appears at the young man’s side with one hand on his shoulder.

“His dad won’t let him out of the house. He’s got his men guarding the door,” he tries to catch his breath. “Avedis called me and told me to tell you, so I ran here as fast as I could.”

“Okay, okay,” Leorio’s mind was spinning. He was nervous enough, and now this? He looked at Kurapika, who was also visibly on edge. The longtime friends exchanged a knowing look. Leorio was the one to inform the third member of their mission.

“We’re going to break him out,” Leorio was firm.

“But- but how? You’re a scrawny doctor and your just an assistant,” the boy observed what he could.

“There’s no time to explain, but we know what we’re doing. Take us to his house,” the blonde interceded.

The young man agreed by dashing back out the door. Leorio and Kurapika sprinted behind him, trying not to pull ahead of their leader. They ran for several blocks until they arrived in a suburban neighborhood lined with two story houses. The friend indicated to slow down as he pointed to Avedis’ house. They approached slowly, hiding behind a hedge that encircled Vreg’s home. Two burly men stood on each side of the front door, exchanging quiet words with each other. 

“Great. It’s Alec and Kurt,” the boy hissed. “We need to get to that window up there,” he said pointing to the second story. “That’s Avedis’ room.”

“We’ll need a distraction,” Kurapika whispered to the teen in the red hoodie. “Can you talk with those two?” he motioned towards Alec and Kurt.

“But I want to get Avedis out of there,” he protested, albeit in a hushed tone.

“If we approached, they would be suspicious. If you talk to them, they won’t be. We’ll get Avedis out in no time,” Leorio comforted.

The teen shot them both a look before emerging around the hedge and strolled towards his comrades. He approached Kurt and jabbed at his frosted tips. Leorio and Kurapika crept along the other side of the hedge. This was a moment when Leorio’s height came in handy; he was able to peak over the top of the hedge and detected another guard in the backyard.

“Great. He’s surrounded,” the lanky man frowned as the sarcasm left his lips.

“I could use my dowsing chain to tie him up, but how do we keep him from alerting the other guards?” Kurapika strategized.

Leorio’s eyes did a once over of the backyard, when he was struck with an idea.

“There’s a shovel in the corner. Pick it up with your chains and knock him out,” Leorio declared.

“There’s just one problem, I can’t see over,” the Kurta reminded.

“I’ll tell you where to send your chain,” Leorio smiled at his fix to the problem.

Kurapika sighed, but obliged the elder with his antics. He sent his chain up the wall and it inched down into the grass on the other side.

“A little left…..no, go right……no, more left,” Leorio directs.

“Leorio!” Kurapika scolded.

“Almost there….okay. Now, wrap it around the handle,” he instructs.

Kurapika sent his chain up in a spiraling motion, towards the shovel’s collar. 

“Wait….” Leorio indicated, holding up a hand for a visual. “Now!”

Kurapika lifts the shovel off the ground and brought it straight down onto the man’s head.

Leorio smiled as their opponent appeared to be knocked out cold.

“Nice work,” he compliments as he uses his hands to give Kurapika a lift over the hedge.

Kurapika sails through the air and catches hold of a tree branch. He flips up onto the branch and made his way over to the window. He does two light taps with his finger. Avedis notices the blond man in the tree and opens the window.

“We’re here to get you out,” Kurapika breathes.

“Thank goodness,” Avedis uttered.

The teen got up on the ledge of the window and reached for Kurapika’s hand. He stretched his leg out, but he couldn’t get his foot onto the branch. He dangles in the air until Kurapika is able to pull him up into the tree. Avedis carefully follows Kurapika across the branches towards the neighbor’s yard. When Leorio sees them, he reaches up to steady Avedis as he stretches towards the doctor. Once he is on the other side, Kurapika jumps down from the tree gracefully. 

Just as they breathe a sigh of relief, a streak of red barrels around the corner, screaming at the top of his lungs. Leorio and Kurapika begin to trail the red hoodie, who was being hunted down by the two guards from the front door. After ensuring that Avedis was keeping up with the group, Kurapika shoved the two pursuers onto the front lawn of one of the houses. The ragtag team keep pace with each other as they head straight for the clinic. They torrent through the entrance, and Kurapika threw the desk in front of the door. They took a moment to catch their breath before Leorio straightened his posture and disappeared around back. Suddenly, a crowd of people emerge, surrounding the clinic. At first Kurapika panics, but then he notices that Avedis is talking with them through the window.

“Are you ready, Avedis?” Leorio popped his head around the corner to ask.

“Yes,” he consented once more.

The doctor and the patient both vanish into the medical room.

Kurapika watched them leave, now extremely nervous for his friend. He was left behind with the other grumpy teen. Great. Kurapika didn’t have any bedside manner, not that the guy wanted anything to do with him anyways.

“I contacted some of my friends when I was running over. They’re going to stand outside the clinic while Avedis’ is here,” he told the blonde. “We won’t let Mr. Vreg or any of those traitors set one damn foot in this place,” he stated.

“Thank you for your help,” Kurapika’s lips curved upwards slightly.

“It’s…um…it’s Razmig, by the way,” the teen finally revealed his name.

“I’m Kurapika. Nice to meet you. I wish it was under better circumstances,” the Kurta joked.

Razmig let out a laugh before his face dropped again. “It was really messed up. Sending our own guys on you to beat you up in your crib. Not cool,” he vented.

“So, those were not rapiers,” Kurapika confirmed.

“No. The fire rats have been split between Mr. Vreg and Uncle Ishkan. I think Mr. Vreg cares about Avedis, in his own way, but Uncle Ishkan was more of a father to him than Mr. Vreg ever was,” Razmig confessed. “When Ishkan heard about the free clinic, he begged Avedis to go, even though it would upset his father. I thought Mr. Vreg would come around eventually, because it’s his son, you know? But I guess not,” Razmig bit his lip and curled his fingers into fists.

“I see,” Kurapika said. 

A ringing broke the silence. Kurapika had not forgotten about Cheadle, he just did not have a moment to call her back yet. He wanted to retrieve his brethren’s scarlet eyes. With all of his being, he wanted to go. The memory of his clan means everything. He fantasized about leaping through the clinic window, taking a car to the airport, and meeting up with Cheadle as soon as possible. Yet, there was a small feeling inside him that prevented him from acting on his rash dream. It is not like he was really needed here, considering the mafia members do not appear to have any knowledge of nen. Why couldn’t he just leave? 

He couldn’t leave Leorio.

When Kurapika left him on the ship, it was because he thought he could not live with himself unless he murdered every last member of the spiders as retribution for his clan. How wrong he was. He never could have guessed that he would regret his actions, even if it meant giving up his goal, which he pursued recklessly, mercilessly for years. The instant he defeated Chrollo, regret and shame overtook him, proving to be a thousand times stronger than the rage he had clung to since he was twelve. He abhorred his choice of leaving his friend in peril. He knew in his core that if he had a chance to do it over, he would. In a way, this moment was a second chance, and he’d be damned if he abandoned his friend again. If he abandoned his….his….

Kurapika couldn’t think of the word, but his soul knew how he felt about the other man.

Kurapika flipped open his phone and sent a message.

"I can’t go with you. Something came up. Please be safe."


	7. Fighting

“Uncle Ishkan! Glad you could make it!” Razmig cried out.

Ishkan gave him a bold grin and a thumbs up through the window, affirming that he would do anything for his nephew. He is a sturdy man with a pudgy belly, and his black, curly hair formed a small poof on his head. He wore a dark blue button up that was rolled at the sleeves and business pants. All was well for a few hours, as Kurapika and Razmig sheltered inside the clinic in case either of their friends needed them. If not for the circumstances, the blonde would have assumed that the crowd outside was not a barricade, but a block party. The teens engage in some roughhousing for sport, while the adults idly chatter about their work weeks. 

Unfortunately, the friendly atmosphere vanished as another group arrived. It was headed by the intimidating Vreg and he was backed by numerous, tough-looking folks. Razmig drew in a sharp breath, and Ishkan was scowling. Both groups were staring at each other, daring the other not to move an inch closer, or else face the consequences. 

“Hello brother,” Vreg broke the silence, but not the tension. “What are you doing here this fine evening?”

“I was hoping you wouldn’t show,” Ishkan bit back. “I’m here to take Avedis back to my place to recover from his procedure, unless you’ve got a better plan.”

“A better plan would be to for me to go get him now and take him home,” Vreg replied in a level tone. “Anyone who offers healthcare for free, especially for the condition Avedis’ has, must be a fake. Surely, it’s not safe to leave my son in the hands of an amateur.”

Since Ishkan’s most elaborate response at the moment was a low growl, Kurapika raised his voice slightly to be heard through the window.

“I can assure you, he has had several years of extensive medical training, including an apprenticeship under one of the most esteemed medics in the world. My friend wouldn’t be a doctor right now if he wasn’t prepared to provide excellent medical treatment.” 

“I’m sure your friend has potential, but I’d rather have a professional handle this,” Vreg began to move towards the clinic.

“I wouldn’t take another step if I were you,” Ishkan threatened. “You’re just pissed that the doctor is also helping the rapiers. But if he treats us for free, then what’s the harm? We’re even,” Ishkan explained his rationale.

This clearly struck a nerve with Vreg as his eyes narrow. “After all they’ve done to dismantle the empire that we built,” he motioned to Ishkan, “You would want them to get patched up for free? So they can continue to plunder our business? That’s not an option,” he stated as he encroached upon Ishkan’s space.

“Khachkar!” Ishkan shouted, as he held out his left hand to his side. A small stone pillar emerged out of thin air. In response, a blast of aura emerged from Vreg.

Kurapika braced himself, knowing that the fight may come to him, but it sure as hell was not going to intrude on Leorio.

He swore his life on it.

Deeper inside the clinic, Leorio came to a pause in the treatment. He was just about to gently prompt the teen to wake up from his induced sleep. Leorio did not use anesthesia solely to keep nen a secret, it was primarily so his patient’s body would be relaxed, causing the organelles to be easier to manipulate. Thus far, the treatment was going well. Leorio begun with the toes, just to test it out on a non-vital part of the body. Sure enough, the mitochondria responded favorably, allowing themselves to be rewired without much pushback. He worked his way up the legs, continuing to the organs situated below the chest cavity, such as the intestines, kidneys and stomach. 

However, the struggle for Leorio was to keep emitting his aura into the young man. It slowly but surely taxed his energy, causing beads of sweat to trickle down his forehead as his face scrunched up in concentration. Fortunately, the treatment was over for now. Leorio’s calming voice called Avedis back into the waking world.

“Hey, you’re all done for now. The treatment is going well,” he said with one hand on Avedis’ arm.

“Ugh….I feel sick,” Avedis confessed. Leorio was not surprised considering the last part he worked on was his stomach.

“Would you like some water?” the doctor asked, though he was unsure if Avedis could hold it down or not.

“Yeah….sure,” Avedis said while slowly sitting up.

Leorio went over to the counter and opened a bottle of water and poured it into a cup with a plastic straw. He brought it back over and brought the straw up to his lips. After a sip or two, Avedis was able to hold the cup himself, so Leorio gently transferred it to him. 

“Would you like to see your friend?” the doctor offered.

“Yeah,” Avedis mustered the word.

“Alright. One moment,” Leorio left Avedis’ side and poked his head around the divider. 

“You can see Avedis, if you’d like,” Leorio invited Razmig back.

“Avedis?” Razmig flew down the hall and emerged around the corner.

“Hey,” Avedis croaked out.

“How are you feeling?” Razmig inquired.

“I’m okay,” Avedis replies honestly. “What’s that noise?” he asked as he was now aware of the clamoring outside.

“Don’t worry about it. Everything’s under control,” Razmig promised.

“Okay. Listen, I’ve got to tell you something,” Avedis forced himself to talk. “I'm finally off the waiting list. I’ve been accepted into Ivory Eastern University,” his tone conveyed his happiness.

“Damn! That’s amazing! When did you find out?” Razmig’s excitement was enough for the both of them. 

“I went into their online portal before his assistant showed up at my window,” he pointed at Leorio. “I know it means that I’m moving across the country, if my dad will let me,” Avedis speculated.

“Shut up, Avedis. You got into Ivory! Of course you’re going. You’ve busted your ass for this. And when you’re feeling better, we’ll go out and celebrate with Ishkan,” he beamed at him.

“Sounds like fun,” Avedis managed to display a small smile.

The peaceful moment was interrupted by a thunderous boom. Leorio told his patient and visitor to stay put as he steps around the corner to witness a gaping hole where the front of his clinic used to be. Leorio checks on Kurapika, who was unharmed and in a battle-ready stance. Vreg slowly steps over the threshold with two objects made entirely of nen. One was a square, hand-held shield reinforced at each of the four rounded corners. The other weapon enclosed around his right forearm and had several spikes on its edges, protruding above his wrist. Both were gleaming white.

He strides towards Kurapika, who drops his dowsing chain from his ring finger and swings it around to build momentum. Vreg also readied himself before launching towards Kurapika, who wrapped the dowsing chain around his right arm, lifted up his opponent and flung him towards the wall. Vreg slammed into the wall face first and fell to the ground, rubbing his head while he stood up again. Before he could have another bout with Kurapika, Ishkan torrented towards his foe. Ishkan was holding a heavy stone cross that he broke off from his conjured pillar outside.

“Eagle!” he screamed. 

A small creature flew off of the cross and began poking and scratching at Vreg’s head. Vreg used his shield to block the pest’s attacks.

“Bull!” Ishkan cried again. 

Another miniature-sized animal escapes the cross and charges across the floor towards Vreg’s feet. The stern man began to shift his weight between his toes as a sort of ungraceful dance. He swept his arm down and stabbed the bull with his boney wristband.

“I don’t have time for your antics. I’m here to get my son,” Vreg displayed the full force of his rage as he sneered at Ishkan.

“Incisor,” he cried as the nen in his right hand mutated to take on a long, pointy sword made of solid white. 

Ishkan froze as he recognized the danger of this situation. Vreg, now in control, stepped towards Kurapika. The blonde stood determined in front of the three people clustered behind him. Without warning, Razmig darted around Kurapika towards Vreg with nothing but a fist. Vreg raised his sword with the intent to kill. Kurapika reached out for Razmig to pull him back, but the teen was just out of his grasp. Leorio and Avedis watched in horror as Razmig’s life was on the line.

“Angel!” 

A burst of light filled the room as two expansive, diaphanous wings complete surrounded Razmig. Vreg’s sword descended towards the wings, but the nen evaporated upon contact with the holy being. An absolutely gob smacked Vreg took a few steps backwards before breaking into a run. His cronies retreated as well. Ishkan was stunned too as he stared at the ethereal woman that hugged the impetuous young man with the gold earring. A moment later, her figure blurred back into a cluster of light which flew back into the cross from where it came. 

“Wh-what the hell just happened?” Leorio stammered.

“Ishkan surpassed Vreg’s nen ability. He’s the new leader,” Razmig said. “This means…” he trailed off.

“I can go to Ivory Eastern. My dad won’t be able to stop me,” Avedis finished.

Ishkan turned around to face his nephew. 

“You got into Ivory?” Ishkan inquired hoping for good news.

Avedis nods.

In a second, Ishkan had Avedis in a bear hug, and Razmig hovered around the periphery. Ishkan grabbed Razmig and pulled him in too, so that the three men were embracing each other. Ishkan laughed joyously as he sang his nephew’s praises. Razmig chimed in here and there. To give the trio some privacy, the doctor and the Kurta headed towards the front of the clinic. 

Kurapika tilted his head towards Leorio. The doctor was staring at the rubble that used to be the entrance. A mix of emotions rose within Kurapika’s chest. He understood that Leorio was hurting as they witnessed his clinic in disarray. On the other hand, Kurapika couldn’t help but feel immense pride in the man he deeply cared for. He performed a brand-new procedure while chaos reigned around him. He stared at the tall, handsome man and put a hand on his shoulder. Leorio broke out of his trance to meet Kurapika’s grey orbs. Since the Kurta promised that he would stay to help rebuild the clinic, Leorio was able to smile again.

Supported by Ishkan and Razmig, Avedis rounds the corner and heads towards the doctor. Leorio begs Avedis to sit down while he goes to retrieve a wheelchair he could borrow. Avedis was delicately placed into a chair until it he could be transferred to the mobility aid. When Avedis was all set, Leorio and Ishkan confirmed the details of the second and final appointment before leaving. Leorio and Kurapika wave until the group reach the intersection. Just as Kurapika was going to ask Leorio what they should do now, the tall man made a 180 and headed for an examination table. He curled his legs up underneath him and he was out. The blonde took a seat in the entryway as he attempted to stay alert in case of any threats. Some of Ishkan’s allies were still mingling with each other, but it seems like the danger has subsided. 

Kurapika picks up his phone to see if Cheadle has any updates. She texted that they were in pursuit of the thief. His chest tightened, before he let out a breath. If he had to trust anyone else besides himself to repossess the scarlet eyes, it was the forthright, clever Cheadle. It still pained him a little that he could not be there himself, but he knew that he made the right choice to stay by his friend’s side so that the doctor could be safe. However, the Kurta’s self-sabotaging nature persisted, so he decided it would be best to turn off his phone, at least until he could broach the subject with Leorio.

Kurapika went behind his desk to obtain his book. He was taking a break from fiction titles. Instead, he was working through a travel guide for the Lukso Providence. He spent the rest of the hour finishing the text and re-reading any portions that sparked memories for him of his people. Grabbing a pen, he underlined and wrote extensive notes in the margins for another hour. He just finished when Jessa approached him.

“Hey Kurapika,” she started. “I got you these,” she holds out two cups of coffee, one for each of the men. “Thanks for your help the other day. My wrist is feeling a lot better,” she confidently declared.

“You’re welcome. We’re glad we were able to help,” Kurapika said sincerely, taking a cup and placing it onto his desk.

“I wanted to let you know that I’ve talked to Ishkan, and we’ve agreed to keep your clinic a neutral zone from now on,” she stated.

“Oi?” Kurapika choked on his coffee. “You’re with the Rapiers?”

“Shhh!” she winked at him with a coy smile.

A momentarily flabbergasted Kurapika levelled himself before giving his response. 

“Thank you for telling me about the agreement with Ishkan. Leorio will be happy to hear the news.”

“I’m sure he will. Anyways, I’ve gotta get back to my shop, but I’ll see you around,” she waved goodbye.

“Take care.”

“KURAPIKA!” a voice screamed at the top of its lungs.

The blonde spun around to see a teary-eyed Leorio coming at him at full speed.

***

Wikipedia’s Armenian Names’ Definitions:

Avedis – Messenger for Good News  
Ishkan – Prince  
Razmig – Little Fighter  
Vreg - Revenge


	8. Resolving

After shifting and stirring for a few minutes, Leorio finally decided it was time to get up and go back to the apartment so he could take a proper rest. The exam table was fairly comfy when his legs were tucked in, but they were getting sore for being in a fetal position for too long. He sat up and let out a big yawn. As soon as he rose to go fetch Kurapika, he was interrupted by his cellphone. Cheadle’s caller ID displayed on the screen. He swiped to answer it.

“Hello Cheadle,” he stifled another yawn.

“Hello Leorio,” she greeted warmly. “I wanted to ask how the treatment went. Were there any unexpected complications?”

“Not with the procedure itself,” he thought back to the nightmarish fight that demolished his clinic’s front door.

“I’m happy to hear that. Could we go over the details of it now?” she inquired.

“I’m pretty tired right now actually. My nen is really drained, but I can talk you through it tomorrow,” he proposed. 

“I understand. But before you go, how’s Kurapika?” she asked sincerely.

“He’s doing good. At least, as far as I can tell. I think he’s been feeling more like himself since we’ve come here,” Leorio reports.

“That’s a relief. I was concerned when he said he couldn’t come with us,” Cheadle breathed.

“Come with you where?” Leorio prodded.

“To retrieve a pair of scarlet eyes that were stolen,” she stated.

“A PAIR OF EYES GOT STOLEN?!” Leorio was enraged.

“It’s okay, Leorio! We got them back,” Cheadle did not appreciate the ringing in her ear. “Didn’t Kurapika tell you?”

“No, he didn’t say a word,” Leorio was processing the revelation. 

“Well, I guess since you know now, could you tell him for me? I want him to get the news as soon as possible so he doesn’t have to worry,” Cheadle’s care for her   
friend was evident in those statements.

“I will!” Leorio enthusiastically confirmed. “Thank you for calling.”

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Have a good day, Leorio,” she said before hanging up the call.

Leorio’s arm drops to his side. His jaw hung low as his eyes widen. His mind was racing. In most circumstances, he would have been deeply hurt if the Kurta withheld this kind of significant intel from him. However, when considering the stress the doctor was under, it makes sense why Kurapika would not tell him right away. Since Leorio crashed once the procedure was over, Kurapika did not get the chance to fill him in. 

Another thing Leorio could not wrap his head around was that Kurapika stayed with him. Leorio could recall several previous situations where Kurapika had acted rashly in self-interest, pursuing the scarlet eyes and the Phantom Troupe, even if it put his friends at risk. He knew Kurapika regretted abandoning him on the ship back then, but Leorio was astonished at the blonde’s change of heart. He knew that Kurapika would eventually learn from his past, but now he has a concrete scenario where the Kurta put one of his friends above his quest for vengeance. Nonetheless, it was him- a tall, dorky excuse of a man- whose needs were put above Kurapika’s own. Leorio’s heart was undone.

“KURAPIKA!” Leorio screams as he barrels towards the startled man to wrap him tightly in his arms.

“Leorio! What the hell? Are you okay?” Kurapika tried to stay mad at Leorio for startling him, but it proved to be impossible, even for the reserved Kurta.

“Yes. Yes, I’m okay,” Leorio wailed as tears streamed down his face. 

“Kurapika,” he said, putting both hands on the shorter one’s shoulders, “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”

“You don’t need to thank me, Leorio,” he looked away and blushed. “I was just doing my job.” 

“No, not just that,” Leorio knew he was going to have to spell it out for him. 

“Cheadle told me about the eyes. They got them back,” Leorio beams as he delivers the good news.

“They did?” Kurapika’s eyes widened as he struggles to comprehend the words that just left Leorio’s lips. He gave a long sigh of relief and collapsed into the tall man’s arms again.

“I’m so relieved,” he confesses.

“Me too,” Leorio affirms. “I couldn’t have helped Avedis if you weren’t here protecting me,” he sniffled. “Thank you for staying with me.”

Kurapika could not form a verbal response as he was overwhelmed by his friend’s appreciation for him. He gave Leorio the only reply that could suffice in the moment; he hugged him back. 

***

The pair spent the rest of Sunday and Monday resting. Leorio called Cheadle and Kurapika touched based with Jessa and Erik to discuss how to repair the clinic. They arranged to start construction early next week. 

Currently, it was Tuesday, and the pair were in desperate need of a day off. Somehow, Leorio talked Kurapika out of spending all day inside reading books, and into accompanying him to a famous art museum. They left at nine in the morning so that Leorio could sleep in. They took a rental car to the shuttle that brought them up the hill to the museum. Once they stepped off the shuttle, the duo headed towards the marble structure with signs advertising either current or popular displays. 

While waiting in line to purchase their tickets, Kurapika starts a conversation with Leorio about all the research he did online about the exquisite exhibits. Though he appreciates his friend’s thoroughness, he reminds him that they do not have to see everything in one day, since they’re locals now. Kurapika shoots back that it would cost money, which he says Leorio can be stingy about. The dark-haired man pouts, feigning offense.

After receiving their tickets, they were off. Their first stop was a gallery of paintings. Kurapika took his time in front of each one, before reading the sign next to it and appreciating the art anew again. Leorio was growing more impatient with every painting they passed, but one did strike his fancy. It was a mural of a group of men going out to hunt a boar. Leorio somehow found their fighting spirit relatable. They eventually moved onto the sculpture exhibit, in which Kurapika tried not to blush at the nudes. He had been exposed to a lot of things, but he remained quite modest when it came to those matters.

Leorio suggested that they find a place to eat. They located a small café on the second floor overlooking a rose garden. During lunch, his friend mulled over which exhibits he would like to see next, while the tall man interjected at semi-regular intervals to talk about other subjects. He was happy to report that Avedis was doing well and would be ready to finish the treatment on Saturday. The blonde did take the time to acknowledge the good news before he resumed planning their day. 

After some persuading, Kurapika convinces Leorio to go through a furniture exhibit together. Initially, Leorio thought this would be the dullest part of the day, but he was pleasantly surprised. They stepped into a room full of ornate furniture and decorations. Each furnishing contained such elaborate detail. Leorio felt like he stepped back in time. Fantasies about being a king and owning all this expensive décor flooded his mind, much to Kurapika’s chagrin. Lastly, they strolled through a gallery of modern photographs that seemed so mundane, both men had a hard time figuring out what classified them as high caliber. 

Just as Leorio was about to exit, he noticed that Kurapika had come to a stand still in front of a photo. Leorio approached him, convinced that he saw a hint of red peaking through his grey irises. He faced the picture and read on the description the words “Lukso Providence.” Leorio gasped and glanced over at his companion again to check on him. Kurapika stared intensely at the photo for a while longer. When he was ready, he took a deep breath and walked away with Leorio at his heels.

They headed back over to the balcony just past the cafe. Below lay a luscious rose garden, bursting with colorful flowers in the setting sun. Neither of them was ready to speak, taking their time breathing in the fresh air and feeling the cool breeze. Never a patient person, Leorio could not take the silence much longer, especially considering the photograph they just witness. When he felt like Kurapika was ready, he opened his mouth.

“How are you feeling?” Leorio reached over and put one hand on Kurapika’s back.

The Kurta turned to look at him, smiling ever so slightly. “I’m alright. It’s just…where I come from is so hidden. I wasn’t expecting to see it here, that’s all.”

“Do you want to go back to Lukso?” Leorio had to ask the question, even if it pained him.

“I wasn’t planning on it. I’ll go back there to check in occasionally, but…I couldn’t live there. It would be too lonesome,” he admits.

“What about your clan’s eyes? Isn’t that where you keep them?” 

“Cheadle contacted me yesterday. She says that the Zodiacs, besides Pariston, have implemented security measures and bodyguards to prevent this situation from happening again,” he told his friend. “I’m still worried, but I ultimately do believe that they are in good hands with Cheadle.”

“Really?” Leorio was flabbergasted.

“Yes, really,” Kurapika established.

After another breather, the Kurta continued. 

“I realized that…no one ever asked me to do this. No one from my clan asked me to kill the Spiders or retrieve their eyes,” he confessed, “But I did know that I needed to honor their memory somehow. Looking back, I’m not sure that my clan or my family would condone my choices, my mistakes,” he clenches his teeth. “I thought the ends would justify the means but now, whenever I think of my kin, I fear they could not be proud of the man I’ve become.”

The speaker needed to pause so he could process the words that he finally found the courage to speak aloud. Leorio could not help but look at Kurapika with sympathy emitting from his big, brown eyes. Usually, this would annoy the Kurta, who despises being pitied. Yet, this time, he knew that it was not charity in the doctor’s eyes, but simply compassion- the very essence of Leorio’s soul. After accepting his friend’s unspoken kindness, Kurapika summons the willpower to continue.

I’ve come to understand that maybe there’s another way I can honor the memory of my brethren.”

“How?” Leorio was intrigued.

“I’m going to become an author,” Kurapika announced. “First, I want to write a book about Kurta culture. Our food, traditions, everything I can remember, before I find someone willing to publish it. When I’m done with my first book, I’m going to write novels about the Kurta people in Lukso, as many novels as I can. I know it’s fiction but...I think it could be a good way of informing people about my culture.”

Leorio stifles a tear as he gazes into the Kurta’s eyes. 

“Kurapika, that’s amazing! You’ll be a great writer.” 

He scratches his cheek sheepishly as he confesses, “I know it’s not my place, but…your family…would be so proud of you.”

Kurapika accepted the compliment with a smile. 

“I also wanted to say thank you, Leorio, for giving me the chance to come with you to this city,” Kurapika expressed his gratitude. “Once the spiders were gone, I wasn’t sure what to do,” his vocals betrayed the emptiness that previously consumed him. “Now that I’m here with you in AngelesLos, I feel like I can move forwards. I can work towards my new purpose.” 

“I’m glad you came with me too,” Leorio managed to mutter as his cheeks began to resemble tomatoes. “I wouldn’t know what to do without you, Kurapika,” he confessed. 

Before his head could tell him it was a bad idea, Leorio’s right hand instinctually reaches for Kurapika’s palm. All it took was one tiny glance at their fingers entwined for Kurapika to blush profusely. Leorio brings Kurapika’s hand up to his lips, and gives the back of his hand a small kiss. Kurapika stares at the tall man with wide eyes. He suspected that Leorio may have cared for him as more than a friend, but he was so distracted by his vendetta that he could never tell for sure. Since he told Leorio he was ready to move forwards in his life, the doctor must have decided it was the right time to take a chance.

Kurapika’s cheeks were still tinted pink, but he reciprocated the gesture with his subdued grin. Leorio knew that Kurapika had kept his feelings buried deep to prevent any distractions from his clan’s justice. Now that Kurapika has found a new way to honor those he loved; he is ready to let in the one he loves. Kurapika pulls Leorio towards him and reaches up to meet his lips. The pair break from the short but passionate kiss to refocus on the garden, with the flowers still blooming in the sunset.

(Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed my first fanfiction.)


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